The Breazeale Nuclear Reactor has operated without any serious safety incidents since its inauguration in the mid-1950s, but with the threat of attack or sabotage hanging over the heads of Americans, questions regarding the safety of Penn State's research reactor have surfaced.

Although the reactor is far smaller than its mammoth power-generating counterparts, it still contains nuclear material and is considered at risk by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

"We did advise them of security, but because these reactors have a far lower power output and amount of nuclear materials they don't exhibit the same risk," said Public Affairs Officer for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Victor Dricks.

A former member of the student auxiliary, a security team that patrolled the grounds prior to the Sept. 11 attacks, said security around the complex was lacking.

Although he said he did not remember much about the building security itself because he never had been inside, the former worker, who asked that his name be withheld, described the security as "pretty lax." No guard patrolled the plant at night, he added.

Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 security has been increased. Visitors to the reactor must show photo identification to enter, pass though a chain link fence secured with a heavy padlock and be escorted at all times within the facility.

"We were asked to withhold information from anyone who would do us ill," said C. Frederick Sears, director of Breazeale Nuclear Reactor.

Sears feels the nuclear facility is not the likely choice of those wishing to cause harm. "This is not a target," he said, adding that a packed Beaver Stadium would be more likely attacked than the reactor.

In addition to heightened security at the facility the reactor has many safety devices to prevent an incident from occurring.

Contrary to popular folklore, a nuclear reactor, no matter what the size or design, cannot detonate like a nuclear weapon, Sears said.

Reactors are designed to maintain a controlled nuclear reaction, they do not have the ability to explode, Sears said. He explained it was a very complicated process to cause nuclear material to detonate.

"Bombs have explosives around them," said Sears. "A reactor simply cannot explode."

Due to its small size and simple design, the threat of a meltdown such as the one that occurred at Chernobyl happening at the Breazeale Reactor is virtually impossible.

The core itself, which heats up during a reaction, is immersed in a 71,000-gallon tank of water. This water serves two purposes, to prevent radiation from escaping, and to cool the core, Sears said.

"Our water's primary purpose is shielding," Sears said.

The reactor has safety measures incorporated where, should the water level drop below a certain level, the reactor would automatically shut down. Were the safety measures to fail and water escaped from the tank, the air circulating around the core alone would be enough to remove the heat and prevent it from melting into the ground, Sears said.

"Our reactor will not melt," he said. "It will not do what TMI (Three Mile Island) did."

At larger facilities, such as Three Mile Island near Harrisburg, a cooling system is required to prevent a meltdown from occurring.

"A power reactor operates at several thousand megawatts," said Sears. "This reactor does not operate at a high enough power to do that."

The Breazeale Reactor operates at a maximum power of one megawatt.

"It's small enough that the air will cool it," Sears said.

Various classes in nuclear engineering and experiments involving the irradiation of materials are conducted at the facility.

"The whole idea is to teach people about nuclear technology," Sears said.

Even with the guards and locked gates things are proceeding as normal at the nuclear facility.

"We have over 3,000 visitors a year, we have continued to hold tours," Sears said. "Just yesterday we had 75 fifth-graders in here. We have not stopped our educational role."